Two Rare Animals Handed Over to Ban Keun Zoo

On Monday, Jul 31, 2017 in Non Vay village, Saysetha district, Vientiane Capital, the Vientiane Capital Forest Inspection Office in cooperation with Ban Kern Zoo and World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF-Laos) attended a ceremony for the handover of protected species pygmy slow loris and water dragon to Ban Kern Zoo for healthcare before releasing back to forest.

Forest inspection officers were tipped off that these animals were possessed illegally for being raised as a pet. Pygmy slow loris and water dragon are protected species that are under category 1 of the wildlife and aquatic law of the Lao PDR. The two animals were bought from Xaysomboun Province.

“The pygmy slow loris is too young and unable to find food by itself. The animal has to be released back to the forest within 6 months or 1 year and it is necessary for the officers of the Zoo and POFI to keep monitoring it once it is returned to the forest. Anyway, this depends on how fast it will recover and be ready to integrate into the forest,” said Mr. Phonsavanh Sounthavong, Deputy Director of the Vientiane Capital Forest Inspection Office.

Pygmy slow loris and water dragon are protected species that are under category 1 of the wildlife and aquatic law in Laos.